Many Happy Birthday Returns
by Hero McAllen
Summary: Upon riding back to Kokiri after a disturbing confrontation with Loraeifn, Link finds himself at the mercy of a hidden archer. Struck in the shoulder and far from help, Link must act quickly.
1. The Duvidth

Disclaimer: For the millionth time, I don't own Zelda! Lol

AN: This is Story 7 of 'A Goddess Three' so if you haven't read any of the others, you won't know the new characters, but I encourage you to read just the same. It's not _that_ big of deal, I don't think. Anyway, please R/R! I **really** like reviews. *wink wink*

I'm slowly making my way to the 'ultimate point' where Ganondorf comes back, yadda yadda yadda, but I'm long winded. *grin*

Many Happy Birthday Returns

         _11 months, twenty-five days_

Chapter One: The Duvidth

                  Link rode hard across the field. There wasn't a sound other that the beating of Epona's hooves and the buzz of the insects around him. Epona neighed happily as Link urged her to go faster, sprinting over the grass like the wind. Link hadn't had the pleasure of Hyrule's company lately. Shortly after he returned from Gerudo Valley, King Harkinian had sent him to meet with the Orator of Londium to help work out a trade deal that would hopefully start to bring more grain into Hyrule. There was a bad storm that ruined about a third of the crops last year and this season the storage bins were not as full as Harkinian wanted. But the whole time he was gone, all Link could think of was that day in the Valley, when he saw Megeara and Loraefin there. What had they been doing? He wondered. The image of the Gerudo gathered around Loraefin, a Loraefin he could barely recognize, and hearing her eerie voice call out that name and all of the shrieks and yells that followed. He had been waiting for three weeks to finally confront her about it, and he hid his own worry about her with anger. He was fuming. How stupid was she? She could have been killed in the Training Ground! What was she thinking!? Aye, he remembered how she had helped win the battle against the smoke demon, but…it was still stupid! She could have been hurt!

                  It was late in the afternoon when Link and Navi finally made it through the tunnel and the sky was lit with a brilliant blue hue with just the faintest touches of the evening purple. Many people stopped him on his way to say hello, but he excused himself and said he needed to speak with someone quickly. They let him be on his way sometimes without a second question. He was just outside of the Hake's home when Loraefin appeared from around the corner with Joshuan and their dog Gabriel. She stopped dead in her tracks and stared at him surprisingly. Joshuan got the subtle hints that he should go ahead inside without his sister and left with Navi, mumbling a hello to Link as he passed. Gabriel slowly stalked behind them with his tail halfway between his legs and just the faintest glimmer of a deep growl as if to give warning to Link about harming his pack-sister. Link glared at her as an older brother would when he caught his sister doing something she was not supposed to. Loraefin likewise glared back at him. She knew perfectly well he was there at her Rites, and she foresaw that he would be angry with her, but that was his problem. Link approached her about to speak but Loraefin stopped him.

         "If you want to talk about it I suggest we do it when were not in everyone's earshot!" She said sharply with Link looking down on her. "We can go to the bridge, hold your tongue until then!" She was just as angry with him for he being angry with her. What right did he have to say what she could and could not do? 

         "Fine by me," Link grumbled and followed her down the path. Once there, Loraefin shot around to face him and crossed her arms.

         "Well what? Is there something you want to say to me? Hmm? Come on, say it," she said. She wore her working breeches and a loose off-white sleeveless shirt that was only tight enough to subtly fit the curvatures of her breasts and waist. Link could plainly see that the markings she had last time he saw her had washed off and disappeared. Oh aye, there were healing scratches on her arms, but only a few that were notable now. Link exhaled irritably to try and calm himself before he spoke, but he couldn't hide the cold edge that rode on his words.

         "Like to explain the cuts of your arms?" He replied simply, still staring at her. Loraefin glanced down at her bare arms and then back at him.

         "I told my mother that I had fallen down when a snake scared Balius," her voice was low, "the Gerudo took care of the other wounds before we left. She doesn't have a clue…yet." Link took a few steps toward her and Loraefin didn't budge. 

         "How could you…what made you…you could have been killed!" Link stammered, his face flushing red. The blue of his eyes had gone dark with anger and Loraefin could see the veins lift into ridges on his forearms he had his hands clenched so tightly.

         "I did it because it was my right!" Loraefin exclaimed. "Who are you to say that I shouldn't have done it!"

         "Fin you could have been hurt! What were you thinking?!" Link shot back. "The Ground is dangerous! It was a damned stupid risk! Who cares about what the Gerudo think of you if it endangers your life, it's not worth it!" Link saw Loraefin's eyes flare and narrow. Until now he didn't quite realize how seriously she had taken the whole affair.

         "Not worth it? Not worth it!" She choked on her words she was in such an uproar, "Have you ever been separated from everything that could tell you about yourself?! Have _you ever felt like you were trapped in a box with a window to see out but couldn't touch? What about that ache when you feel like your soul is suffocating?! Hmm? Tell me!"_

                  Link was silent for a moment not being able to find the words to say. Loraefin's hard expression slowly melted away when she saw the hurt look in Link's eyes. Her heart wrenching at causing such a look on that sweet face of his.

         "Yes, I have." He said coldly. He had told her briefly about his childhood, never going into great detail. All she knew that he was an orphan and had found refuge with the Great Deku Tree. She never knew how young he had been when he came to the forest, nor how hard it was to live there as a child. As he looked at her, he could see no physical change in her, but in her eyes, it was there. She was still the same innocent girl he had met, thick brown hair, sturdy build and only reaching just to his shoulder in height, but in her eyes she no longer seemed a child. 

         "Then if you have then why are you so upset?!" Loraefin demanded. 

         "Why didn't you ask me if you wanted to meet the Gerudo? I would have brought you to them but I thought you were afraid of them! You sure were with Tiamra at the Temple of Time!" Link shot back, not answering her question.

         "And what about Nabooru?" She retorted. "She's Gerudo and I wasn't afraid of her! By the Goddesses Link, they are a part of my family not monsters! You know that!"

         "Nabooru doesn't count! She's a Sage!"

         "What does that matter? She's Gerudo!"

         "She's a Sage! Her world doesn't revolve around the Nation any more! The people here in Murieope aren't an issue she needs to worry about! But for the Gerudo that are here in Hyrule that information could have had serious repercussions on them the way you just showed up at their doorstep! These things take time Fin!" Link immediately knew he should not have said that. "Awe, Fin, I didn't mean it that way," he began apologetically, but it was too late, the damage had been done.

         "What? We're not important enough to worry about?" Her usually dormant temper flared. "Oh well, in that case why are you here then if we're not important enough? Certainly the _Hero of Time has better things to do than to waste his time __us. For the love of Nayru Link did you ever stop to think for a moment that __maybe my Rites on the Ground were one of the most important moments in my life?! Did you ever stop to think that __maybe it meant something to __me? No, of course not! You were too busy being the biggest __Kantes of all time!" She swore using a Gerudo curse she had picked up from her Grandmother Usa. She tried to brush past him and walk away but Link caught her by the forearm._

         "Hey wait a minute! Don't be so angry, I didn't mean it like that!" He tried to reason. "What I meant to say is that barging into the Valley like that was reckless! No matter how I made the Gerudo out to be to you, it still doesn't mean that they will let just anybody into their land. All I'm saying is that is you don't know this land, you think you do, but you don't. If you had gotten hurt on the Ground I could never have forgiven myself!" Loraefin wrenched out of his grasp, which she couldn't have done if he truly wanted to hold her there, and looked up at him.

         "I am not your responsibility," she said a bit more calmly, "and being part Gerudo, Megeara and I had every right to be there. I have the opportunity to explore my Hylian heritage easily enough through you, but my other half is hidden from me unless I make the effort to find it. My grandmothers say so little that I think is true. I've never had the opportunity to learn and see things outside of this valley like you have Link…I'm curious."

         "I know you are," the Hero replied gently, glad that she was calming down and his own temper winding down as well, "but that doesn't mean you can be reckless. You may not realize it, but you have more of an impact on Hyrule than you can see. You might have had every right to seek out the Gerudo Fin, but that was the wrong way to go about it," he sighed and looked her intently in the eyes then placing his hand lightly over hers on the rail of the bridge. "I saw you, or what I thought was you when you came out of the Training Ground. You looked feral, not like you at all."

         "Perhaps the part I didn't know I had," said the girl, "I can't explain it." There was still an edge on her voice that ran cold, but it was warming ever so slightly. "I haven't told my parents yet and I'm not sure when to either. Things here will change even more if I do."

         "Do you want them to change?" Asked Link curiously, rubbing his thumb absently over her knuckles as he watched the expression on her face contort in thought and then back again. 

         "Yes and no," was all she left it as. "Tiamra has left it up to me in the time being to convey the Gerudo's wishes to reconcile. She says I need to do what I feel needs to be done. It isn't time yet to tell them, perhaps after Megeara has proven herself on the Ground we might---"

         "You're not thinking of going back are you?" Interrupted Link. "I won't have it, it's a miracle that you came out safely, I won't let Megeara go in." Loraefin's eyes narrowed again and she backed off from him.

         "_You have no right to say so or not, this was Megeara's decision. Her ankle is fine now and she wishes to take the challenge." It was not Loraefin talking anymore, but her Gerudo pride and heritage. She took her hand out of his and paced to the other side of the bridge. "Link, don't stand in her way. This could be more important to us than you will ever realize." Link closed his eyes angrily, not hearing her. _

         "Loraefin! You may have gotten through the Ground safely but not safely enough!" He took up her arm and pointed accusingly at the cuts. "Would you wish Megeara the same thing? Fin, you are not Gerudo warriors and you should have nothing to prove to them! Don't be stubborn!" Link could see and feel the soft muscle tense in Loraefin's arm and he let her go. Loraefin's upper lip curled and her fists clenched with the Gerudo temper that had just recently been reanimated within her flowing off of her like water. Link took a step back in awe of her changed nature. In the few weeks that had passed since her initiation on the Training Ground, Loraefin could feel the change within her. The Gerudo had told her that it was the spirit that had been reborn within her stirring once again, being brought out by the Ritual of Passing. In time they said, her body would learn to control it and use its power, (which was an asset in battle) then would she start to feel more like herself again. But now the power was free to use her as it willed, and the part of her that was still her own felt miserable that it was Link who had to be a focus point of it now. She shut her eyes tightly, trying to control it, but it was very powerful and she struggled to keep it contained. It had already shown itself, no doubt Link could see that she wasn't acting like herself and she only hoped that he would forgive her when it was all done. 

        The more she tried to control it, the more it would manifest itself physically within her. Sweat beaded her forehead and her muscles quaked more violently as she tried to hold it in. Link watched in fear as she tried to simply keep herself standing. A wave of nausea swept over the body as her muscles contracted and left her doubled over in shock clutching her stomach and crashing down to one knee. 

         "Fin, Fin!" Link yelled at her, supporting her with his strong hands. "Loraefin, it's okay, let it go! Stop it you're hurting yourself! Please Fin!" His pleading voice seemed far and distant from her, like an echo off the valley walls. Even her own voice seemed detached from her body as she could hear herself just screaming at him.

"Bastard! Get away---_Rou yassen hardicata es' vee're! Oun now gat usen es' ca'leren Kantes! Loraefin started to laps into native Gerudo in her anger. And yet, mixed together with the familiar tongue she had been raised among, were words of an older language that she had never heard before. It scared her. From somewhere deep within her subconscious the words were springing forth, tapped from an unknown source and slurred together with venom. Link was too baffled to speak as the girl was on the verge of striking at him and cursing in a language he did not understand. __"Rou ternaire es' gat usen, fre'ya, lo lee!" She could barely feel her other leg give way underneath her only to have Link catch her fall. Her head reeled and became disoriented; she wasn't even aware that she was trying to strike Link who was hovering above her, calling her name, trying to make her come back to him. She felt herself being lifted up and carried like a child though she was thrashing about and struggling; they were strong, protective arms that held her and their warmth seemed to sear her already feverish skin. _

                  Link knew he had to hurry, surely the Elders would know what to do? She may have not wanted to reveal yet what she had done, but now he didn't have a choice but to make that choice for her. Loraefin shouted as he ran, ranting of things that were not distinguishable as words. He shoved open the Hake's door with one, brute push from his shoulder and laid her on top of the barren table. Lindie came running down the stairs at her daughter's screams with a look of horror on her face. Joshuan followed with Navi behind and ran to his mother, who was trying to calm down her poor daughter. Another figure loomed on the staircase before it slowly made its way across the room. Lindie shouted for her, and Re'ale looked her over calmly, knowing exactly what had happened. Loraefin lashed out, unaware of what she was doing and grabbed a hold of Link's gray tunic and pulled at it violently. Her shaking but deft fingers stumbled with the laces on his collar and she began to tug. The sweat from her struggles made her skin slick and the firelight glimmered off her cheeks. Link was tugged down to her, giving little resistance not wanting to harm her further as she raised her head to his ear all hot breath that lingered in the air as she spoke. Link's eyes went wide and his face flushed red as she whispered something into them smiling, sending a wave all up and down his body and the scent of her from her struggles called to that primitive side irresistibly, taunting him.  Re'ale pushed him up from Loraefin's grasp and Link tried to compose himself.

         "She knows not what she says Link, please, go and get the others, tell Semele to bring her herbs and Reamari hers also, quickly." She placed her cool hand on her grandchild's forehead, nodded once more for Link to go, and tried to calm Loraefin's writhing body on the table. 


	2. Message With A Point

Chapter Two: Message With A Point 

                       Re'ale closed the door behind her silently and went to where Link was sitting outside by the tree. He had not been allowed inside; only Gerudo elders were allowed to tend to a maid who was unable to control the new power within her. The yelling had stopped and everything was quiet now except for the evening breeze as it blew through the trees. He turned around when he heard soft footsteps on the path coming toward him. He smiled at the old woman and stood up, her height not so much shorter than his own.

           "She'll be fine now," Re'ale said calmly. "The fever has broke; the power has been released." Link sighed relieved.

           "Thank the Goddesses," he murmured, staring at the door. "I have a little idea what happened, I saw it once. A young girl at the Gerudo's Fortress who went through that. They took her away before I could really see anything though." Re'ale nodded.

           "It is a personal thing Link, the _Duvidth, not being able to control the power could be taken as a sign of weakness, but," she trailed off and shivered uneasily, "I had never seen one so violent. I may not have seen many, perhaps one or two in the sixteen years I can remember, but never one like that." She paused and thought something over, "if I did not know any better I would say there was something more too it, but that's ridiculous. Most likely it was just because she's not a full Gerudo, who knows how her Hylian heritage would have affected it." Link raised his eyebrows and continued to stare at the door._

           "Will it happen again?" Navi asked, her voice becoming worried. 

           "Oh no, not likely," she soothed, "now the spirit within her has calmed, the body should be able to control it now." She looked at Link apprehensively; "did _you know that they traveled to see the Gerudo?" Link shifted his weight to the other leg._

           "I saw them there, as she was leaving the Ground. I was sent away and then after King Harkinian asked me to go and assist with a trade policy to the north. As soon as I came back a came here." Re'ale nodded again.

           "I don't blame them," she said. "Even when they were little girls, she and Megeara were more curious than most. But still," she paused, "they will need to be punished." Link didn't bother to comment on that. 

           "Can we see her?" He asked softly seeing the silhouette of Loraefin's mother pass by the window. Re'ale shook her head.

           "No, the presence of a man could interrupt the integration of the soul to her body, or so says the Gerudo ways," was her answer. "She will be ill for awhile and need to stay in bed, perhaps in a week you may see her if you like, not before." Link sighed and consented and turned to leave when Re'ale stopped him. "Link?" She said inquiringly, "by any chance…by any chance did you hear the name Finnie claimed at her Rites? I, I would like to know it." Link grinned and replied to her.

           "It was Rae Lawen."

                       Re'ale's wrinkles stretched into a smile as she nodded and left back inside the house.

***

                       It was early morning when Link reached the edge of the woods. The sun was just turning the horizon the palest hues of pink and orange and the morning lark sung its first, sweet note. Epona made her way through the trees, which were growing more densely farther into the forest. Link yawned sleepily and sat up to stretch, throwing open his arms and stretching the muscles in his chest. 

                       Even when he looked back on that morning years from now he would never be sure what direction the arrow came from, only that it came hard and fast into his left shoulder. Link reeled around and was knocked off of Epona to the ground by the force of the shot as Navi screamed. It stung painfully as he stared at the shaft in disbelief with his own blood starting to be soaked up by his tunic. He kept expecting to hear more shots fired, or at least someone call out to him, but the forest was perfectly silent except for the singing birds. Link panted on the ground, waiting for something else to happen, but nothing came. He started to feel a bit light headed from the blood loss and tearing a strip of his tunic he tried to stop the bleeding. Navi flew about in a panic, trying to see who had shot the bow, but found no one. Link knew that it was very unlikely for someone to find him out here, so with the strength he had left he dragged himself up into Epona's saddle and bade her to ride for the ranch. Epona neighed and took off, seeming to understand the urgency that was at hand.

                       Malon, who was just getting ready for her weekly ride to the castle, and on a much more personal note to see Rook, saw Epona coming from across the field with a figure slumped over at the saddle. She gasped in alarm and ran out to meet the horse, calling both her father and Ingo to help her. Link groaned as Talon lifted him off Epona and he could hear Malon gasp again when she saw the wound in his shoulder. Navi told them what had happened as they hastily got him inside the house. 

                       Link had been hurt many times before, but this felt different somehow. Being hardened from defeating Ganondorf and then fighting with the resistance the second time around, he had built up a tolerance for physical pain, but this one he could seem to feel every vein in his body. It was not excruciating pain, but every inch of him seemed to be heated by an unknown fire. Malon's red blur would come in and out of his vision, and he could hear them speaking, but only in muffled voices. He heard the words 'doctor' and 'hang on' clearly, but the rest was hazy. Before he passed out on the bed though he felt the distant pain of the arrow being taken out and Malon's sweet voice etched in worry saying 'what do you mean the arrow was poisoned?!"

AN: Well? Is anybody reading this? Please R/R! I'm dying to get some feedback! Is it incredible boring? No? Tell me! I'll love you forever.


	3. The Sheikah Way

Chapter Three: The Sheikah Way 

                       He knew this was a dream, or at least something _like a dream. He was sitting on the bench by Misa's house in Kakariko and it was like any usual day, quiet and peaceful. He could see Anju by the pen feeding her Cuccus and Mutoh barking orders at the carpenters to hurry up, but their appearances were all blurred and distant. Link stood up and realized that the pain in his shoulder was gone, and furthermore, found that the wound was not even there! Link looked around and took a couple of steps to the corner of the house when out of the corner of his eye he saw a dark figure descend from the roof of the Bazaar. He quickly turned to face it and gasped in surprise. Before him stood a familiar figure, but one that Link had not seen in some time. The blond hair covered one eye and its scarf was pulled up to its nose, hiding most of its face. The sleek but strong Sheikah body stood boldly facing him and Link found himself at a loss for words. _

           "Zelda?" Link said under his breath and the figure laughed. Its voice was deeper than Zelda's, but then again; she had fooled him once.

           "No," it chuckled, "I am not Zelda, but now is not the time to go into detail." It stepped forward to Link and took his hand, waving his own palm across it. The Triforce emblem began to glow beneath the skin of Link's hand and the Sheikah smiled happily. "Ah, you truly are the keeper of the Triforce of Courage," it, or he by the looks of it said. Link took his hand back in a hurry.

           "Yes, what is this about? This isn't Kakariko is it?" He demanded. The figure smiled again.

           "No, merely a representation of it," the man began. "The drug that the arrow was tipped with is designed to manifest a place in which the person feels comfortable and safe, so then _we are allowed to enter and speak with them."_

           "Who is _we?" Link replied. "And who are you?"_

           "Who I am? I should say that you know me already," said the figure, "but as I said before now is not the time, this dream will be over soon and I have not even begun to say what I must." He walked behind Link and took a seat on the bench. Link followed him with his eyes suspiciously until he sat.

           "What is this all about?" He asked in a low voice staring intently on the supposed Sheikah. The man leaned forward and stared at Link with just as much intent on Link as Link of him.

           "Your friend's life weighs very heavily on your conscious does it not?" Replied the figure. Link knew immediately that he was talking about Loraefin, but how did _he know about that?_

           "Yes," was all Link said. The figure nodded.

           "Then perhaps we can do something to help," he got up and took Link's other hand and quicker than Link could react, cut it with a small, sickle shaped knife. Link drew his hand back but found that it had not hurt at all, though he could clearly see the blood flowing out of it. "This," said the Sheikah raising Link's hand, "could be the key to saving her life. You hold the Triforce of Courage within your body and it is very powerful. Use your blood instead of the girl's. If you are willing to risk your life for the sake of hers, then let it be so. The poison from the arrow that struck you down has a powerful barrier in it, which is now apart of your blood. If all goes well, it should have enough power to strike Ganondorf down. May it be so." Link stared at his bleeding hand and then back to the man.

           "How do you know all this?" He whispered.

           "We are the shadows, the old folk of Hyrule, our wisdom runs deep within the earth and through the passages of time. But none of this is important now, but heed what I have told you here." Link glanced back down at his hand to find it whole again but when he looked up, the man was gone. 

***

           "Link, Link wake up," Malon soothed, rubbing one of his hands until he had opened his eyes. He looked groggily around and moaned in pain when he tried to sit up. He felt Malon gently push him back to the bed and laid his head on the pillow. Link could see that his shoulder had been tended to with clean bandages and gauss, no doubt the crafty work of Malon he thought. Talon brought in some water, which Malon held up to his lips for him to drink. 

           "Hey beautiful," he grinned and looked up at the girl. Malon squeezed his hands, relieved that he was awake.

           "Oh Link, thank the Goddesses you're okay," she sighed. "You scared us, never do that again!"

           "I'll sure try," he chuckled. Rook came up behind Malon and placed a hand on each shoulder, rubbing them up and down her arms affectionately. 

           "Aye Link, good to see ya up and about," Rook laughed, "Fer awhile there we thought we'd lost ya!" Link's expression was one of surprise and amusement. 

           "Did I miss something here?" He said, raising a weak hand to point to the two of them. Malon blushed and Rook grinned.

           "Aye lad," Rook beamed, "but we'll tell ye later. Do ye want somethin' to eat? You've been out almost three days now, I'm betting yer hungry."

           "Three days?" Link's eyes went wide and Malon nodded.

           "Yes. They wanted to move you to the Castle Infirmary, but the doctor thought it best if we didn't move you. We're glad you woke up when you did, I thought you would sleep right through your birthday." Rook turned abruptly around.

           "It's yer birthday soon Link? I didna' know that," he handed Malon a bowl of warm soup that had been cooking above the fire.

           "Yep, don't think I forgot Hero," Malon giggled and Link sighed tiredly.

           "_I almost forgot," he smiled, "I guess it is soon. How old am I going to be this year again?"_

_           "Nineteen silly, stop being funny," Malon felt his forehead. "Good, your fever has broke."_

           "Yeah, I feel much better, thank you." He didn't know when his _real birthday was, just that it was around the summer months so he had picked out a day in early June for it. June eighth, he didn't know why he picked that one, but it was always a beautiful day no matter what year.  Link looking around the room and then back to Malon. "Did I hear you say something about the arrow being poisoned?" Malon seemed to get all excited and leaned further over the bed._

           "Oh yes! After the doctor pulled the arrow out he found that it had been tipped with a special type of drug that could kill if shot into the heart. You're lucky the person was a bad shot and hit your shoulder instead."

           "Yeah, guess I am."

***

           "It has been done," said the man, nodding to his friend. "The Hero of Time believes his blood will now destroy Ganondorf and will stop worrying about the girl."

           "Good," the other man nodded in return; "with his guard down now we can assure that the Oracle will be sacrificed, he will no longer feel the need to protect her."

           "Are we doing the right thing Orion? Leading him on that he now alone has what it takes to stop Ganondorf? What if---"

           "What is more important, the continuation of the world or one man's conscience?" The taller man snapped, but then composed himself again. "Sheik, if the Hero of Time tries to save the girl, then Ganondorf will surely overpower them and destroy everything, we cannot allow that. If he believes that the drug from the arrow is more than a common Sheikah illusion herb, then let him have comfort in that. The girl must be sacrificed and it is up to us as the Old Folk of Hyrule to see it through."

           "You're right, forgive me for questioning our mission," replied Sheik, "let him have the false comfort that she is now safe, the Goddesses know that the peace of mind will be a blessing compared to what is coming."

           "May the Goddesses have mercy on our souls Sheik."

                       The young Sheikah gazed out over the field to Hyrule Castle and his heart wrenched at the sight of it. He knew that Zelda was not there, and he had been searching for her ever since she and Impa had left their nomadic tribe deep in the mountains far to the south while in hiding from Ganondorf. They had gotten to know one another, had time to become good friends even, but there had been an accident and he had become seriously wounded, everyone thought he would die...And then she was gone. No doubt she thought he was dead, he had been unconscious for weeks, but how could she have given up on him so easily? He was determined to find her again. Orion turned his dark horse back toward the mountains and Sheik slowly followed. He felt for Link, having to loose someone he was close to, he understood more than most could, but he, like Orion and like the future Sages, knew that it was the only way to defeat Ganondorf again.


	4. A Gift Worth Receiving

Chapter Four: A Gift Worth Receiving

           "Happy birthday Link!" Malon shouted and jumped up to kiss him on the cheek. Link blushed and hugged her back. 

           "Awe, thanks Malon," Link beamed, "you didn't have to--"

           "Oh yes I did!" She cut him off and excitedly shoved a present into his hands. Link looked it over, trying to figure out what was in it first. "Stop it! Just open it!" Malon laughed. Link slowly tore it open little by little, enjoying the look on Malon's face as he did so. When it was all unwrapped before him, he found a handsomely made new rust iron colored tunic, complete with embroidered stitching on the collar and fine, soft leather strips to lace it. Link stared at it as Malon beamed proudly and Link knew she must have made it herself. "Well?" She urged, "what do you think?"

           "I think," said Link slowly to tease her and Malon hung onto every word, bracing herself for his judgement. "I think that it's my new favorite tunic! Look at this, it must have taken you weeks to sew the embroidery alone on this!" He examined the fine stitching carefully and Malon just shined.

           "Oh, not that long," she said casually, "I'm glad you like it, I knew your old green one has just about had it."

           "Yeah, that thing could be mistaken for a rag by now," Link laughed in agreement and hugged her again. "Malon you're the greatest, you know that right?"

           "Oh of course, you're lucky I let you even hang out with me," she giggled in return and hugged him back. "Happy birthday Link."  

           "Thanks Malon."

                       His shoulder was almost healed completely now, all of the battles he had fought taught his body to recover quickly. It was still sore, but nothing that would bother him and especially on his nineteenth birthday. King Harkinian had wanted to throw a big party for his birthday, saying that the Hero of Time's birthday should be celebrated above all, but Link insisted that he should not for he didn't want to make a big deal out of it. King Harkinian had laughed and said that he would not let him get away so easily for his twentieth. All Link wanted to do today was enjoy the time he had to himself and his friends. He had awoke to the lovely surprise that the Kokiri, even Mido which surprised him a bit despite they usually got along fine now, had prepared a big breakfast for him at the Deku Tree's Meadow. It was a great surprise and Link thanked them all repeatedly for making his day start off so well. And what was even better was that Saria had contacted him through telepathy to wish him a happy birthday too. Saria would never be replaced by anyone in his heart. Now he and Malon were to go and get Rook at the Castle and have a picnic up at Death Mountain before he had plans to meet with Misa and his family for dinner. Yes, it was going to be a full day. He did tell himself that he would go and see if Loraefin had recovered soon though, it had been a week and three days since then, and no doubt she would be up and about now. And now, after the message that he had gotten from the Sheikah, he no longer had to worry about sacrificing Loraefin. It was, and was truly going to be the best day he had had in a long time. 

***

                        After the day had come and gone, Link slept comfortably in his home in Kokiri. He could hear Navi's faint breathing from atop the bookshelf and he smiled happily. _I've lived to nineteen, who would have thought? He mused. Malon's gift was sitting on the chair near his bed, ready and waiting for him to wear it again tomorrow when he went to go see how Loraefin was doing. He thought again of what she had whispered, rather moaned actually, to him when she was on the table, and immediately felt ashamed of doing so. She was ranting with her fever; he shouldn't have even given it a second thought. Angry with himself, he rolled over and fell asleep again._

***

            "Hey," Megeara spoke in a humdrum tone of voice as she attacked some weeds in her herb garden. "I'm guessing you're here to see Fin eh? She's up at the mill with Berg and Lycus. I think they're still trying to have her take it easy. Everybody is out of sorts about the whole thing. Things are really tense right now, so don't be surprised if people are…less friendly than usual."

                        Link nodded and made his way to the mill at the top part of town. While he was walking he got some dark stares as he passed and he wondered if the people here blamed _him for what had happened. After all, since he had first come here to take Loraefin away, this all started. Was he really to blame for breaking up their protection and peace? A large lump formed in Link's throat that he had difficulty swallowing it down. _

                        The mill was looking old and weather beaten from years of battles with the elements, but the blades still turned softly and he could hear the steady grinding of the stone inside. Two dogs greeted him excitedly as he opened the door and peeked his head in to see the two boys busily working away cleaning the giant stone of dirt and grime that had gathered over the winter and Loraefin sitting quietly on a few crates against the wall. They all looked up when the door opened and smiled.

            "Hey Link," Berg grinned, "come to check on our warrior here?" He chuckled as Loraefin glared at him evilly, scratching Laelaps's and Styx's heads as their tails wagged profusely. "She's not going to say much, her voice is sore from all of that yelling and the herbs Reamari shoved down her throat."

            "Oh stop it," snapped Lycus, "you've been picking on her all morning, leave her alone."

            "Well now she can't argue back with me, besides, _I wasn't the one that went poking my nose into things I wasn't supposed to," Berg shot back and turned slowly to glance at Loraefin. "You know I love and care about her Lycus, she's like my sister, but that still doesn't mean I have to agree with what she did. It was dangerous and now the whole village is in an uproar."_

            "Stop talking about me like I'm not here," Loraefin's hoarse, dry voice sounded. "I don't care either way what you think about it or not, it was _my decision, no one else's." The two quieted down under her cold stare. She turned to Link and smiled weakly. "You haven't come here to argue with me too have you? I have to say I'm not much in the mood for it."_

            "No, and I doubt it would have done much good anyway," Navi piped up. "How are you feeling?"

            "Like I've just sat through a dust storm," Loraefin's voice crackled as she tried to laugh. "My throat hurts a lot, but I'll live."

            "I'm glad," Link smiled and moved out of the way as Berg brushed past. Lycus and Loraefin stared after him and Lycus sighed downheartedly and cupped Loraefin's shoulder with his large hand.

            "He's just worried about you Finnie, we all are. Give him time and he'll come around," he smiled at her and she squeezed his hand affectionately. Link raised an eyebrow as Lycus let his hand linger there. 

            "I know some people are afraid of me now, but I haven't changed," her voice was weak and sorrowful as she leaned back on Lycus's strong chest and he hugged her with one arm to comfort her, rocking her gently. Laelaps brushed up against her leg and licked her hand sympathetically, whining a bit sensing that her pack-sister was upset. 

            "It's okay, it's okay," he soothed, looking at Link with worried eyes. "No ones afraid of you, you're still Loraefin just like you were before this happened and just like you are now. Shh, it's okay Fin, don't get upset." Link watched the two of them silently as Lycus comforted her, and unknowingly a small pang of jealously arose in him. He quickly pushed it away, not knowing why it had surfaced in the first place, but it was hard to ignore. Loraefin wiped her eyes and tried to smile.

            "Well hey wait a minute!" She tried to speak normally, but always found it feudal. "Your birthday was yesterday! I've got something for you at the house! Come on, Lycus, Navi you come too." And with that she took both of their hands and led them out of the mill with Styx and Laelaps scampering in front of them and Navi close behind. Link glanced over at Lycus, unable to completely suppress that feeling of jealousy. He scolded himself; he had no claim on Loraefin, nor was he even interested in her that way, so what was he jealous about? If anything he wanted her to be happy and she seemed very happy with _Lycus. _

                        Loraefin ran up the stairs and came down a few moments later with a package wrapped in soft well-worn brown leather tied with long pieces of twine.  Link eyed the limp, oddly shaped package over as he lifted back the flaps that made up the wrapping to reveal a patchwork blanket made up of different pieces of cloth. Loraefin grinned at him as he took it out and ran his hands over the smooth fabric.

            "I know it's not much, but I remember you saying once that all your blankets are getting old. I had some old fabric saved up that I was going to make some new clothes out of, but this seemed to suit them better," she waited for Link to say something. The stitching was well done and tight and it looked very warm. For some reason, perhaps a result of his good mood, or perhaps a subconscious gesture done to spite Lycus, Link leaned forward and caught Loraefin off guard in an embrace.

            "_Kenata Fin, this is great," he laughed and held her for a moment. "Just what I needed."_


	5. To Face the World

Chapter Five: To Face the World

                        After Lycus had left the house, Loraefin and Link settled down on the table to try and give their conversation a better chance this time. Now that Loraefin had had that outburst, Link no longer feared that she would be so quick to catch her temper. Even now though she looked too tired to even try and yell. She sat with shoulders slumped and her hands folded limply in her lap in a manner common to most, but not Loraefin. The edges of her mouth formed a frown, her hair looked as if she hadn't even tried that day, and the most unlike feature of her was the absence of laughter. Loraefin told him that Re'ale, Pamiea and the other elders were gone to the Meeting Hall to discuss some things about what had happened. She wasn't sure what was going to come of it and Link could hear a bit of doubt in her voice that he had not heard before. Had she been regretting what she did? Loraefin left upstairs for a moment and brought down something clutched in her hand. She opened her fingers and lay the object down on the table in front of Link. The deep amber stone sparkled in its silver and brass casing; Link wasn't sure if he was supposed to pick it up.

            "My Crest," Loraefin said solemnly with her parched voice, "my grandmothers almost took it away, but they said they could not take away something I had earned, especially this." She picked it up herself and skimmed her thumb over the stone. "I'm afraid to wear it outside, I shouldn't be, but I am." Loraefin looked up and stared at him, her lips curving into a little smile. 

            "It suits you," Navi piped up, flying and landing on Loraefin's hand, her glow illuminating the metal. 

            "I'd like to think so Navi, but that doesn't change how I feel," the young woman put it back down on the table between them. She rubbed her palm over her throat and Link could hear her swallow as if her saliva were scratching itself down. "Everything is different now, I'm not sure what I've done anymore."

                        The front door opened and Joshuan came puffing in with little Alari tagging along behind him. Loraefin looked at him with a bit of apprehensiveness in her eyes and her brother grinned enthusiastically and gasped to catch his breath. Alari ran to her and jumped up and down wildly, grabbing onto her skirt and smiling just like Joshuan.

            "Fin, you gotta come," Joshuan panted in Gerudo, motioning her with his hand. Alari took her by her skirt and started to pull her to the door.

            "Joshuan what is this?" Her voice cracked and let Alari drag her along.

            "Pamiea's called a town meeting, we're going to…well come on and you'll see!" He laughed and pushed her out the door. "Link, Navi come on!"

***

                        The hall was crowded and noisy as everyone tried to find a place to sit or stand. The elders were seated along the long table in the front where Pamiea and Link had had their first conference all that time ago. Link tried to stick to the back out of sight as Alari and Joshuan pushed Loraefin up to the front. Link could see Megeara's red hair up front meet with Loraefin's brown as everyone settled down. Slowly, quiet settled over the room and Mattue stood gazing out over everyone. Pamiea sat beside him as her partner commanded silence. Link could feel the hair on the back of his neck lift on its own and he shivered from a non-existent chill.

            "My family," Mattue began and the last few conversations were vanquished. "We, as the eldest in the village, have been keeping council for sometime on the future of us, this village. Since recent events," he paused for a moment and glanced down at Loraefin and his granddaughter Megeara with a bemused grin, "the issue has been pushed to the surface again and we feel it is time for a decision to be made." Megeara and Loraefin's breath caught in their throats and Alari, who already knew the news, jumped up and down excitedly. 

            "What is it?" Loraefin's uncle Jefftren asked, putting an arm around his wife and daughter, Lycus's twin. Link could see Lycus' ruddy red hair standing by his father, nodding in agreement.

            "Patients Jefftren," Mattue smiled, "we will get to that." Now Pamiea stood alongside her husband and waited for the murmurs to quiet once again. Though not a tall woman, she commanded an enormous stature.

            "The decision must be made together, we all must agree one way or the other," she said. "Consider the outcomes first and weigh what is important to you before you make it though." Re'ale and Usa looked down at their granddaughter with pride now and her grandfather smiled as Pamiea continued. "Murieope has been secluded for many years now, almost all of you have not seen the outside before, have never seen Hyrule where you come from. Tonight we make the choice whether to stay hidden or join the world again. Our children are curious and no matter how we try," she paused and Megeara held herself higher, "we will not be able to keep them contained for much longer, nor will their children. As Mattue said, the time has come and we must choose."


End file.
